Obama: I read my bad press, not my good press

[EraOfResponsibility]

The O knows...

President-elect Obama said he often reads bad press about himself and avoids the good press so that he can stay outside the information "bubble."

"I think it's important not to live in the bubble, so you've got to be open to outside information, particularly criticism," he told CNBC on Wednesday. "I'll tell you, I very rarely read good press. I often read bad press, not because I agree with it, but because I want to get a sense of, 'Are there areas where I'm falling short and I can do better?'"

When CNBC's John Harwood pointed out that he hasn't gotten much bad press, Obama said he's sure it's coming.

The president-elect added that he's paying particular attention to economic news and "market psychology, because part of what we have right now is such a loss of trust in both the marketplace and in government that restoring that confidence, restoring that trust is going to be very important."

But Obama said he'll be focusing on the long-term economic picture.

"I'm not going to be probably watching the crawl at the bottom of an interview," he said. "What I will be doing is making sure that I'm communicating with key market participants on a regular basis, again, to explain to them what exactly our plans are and to solicit from them good ideas.

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/01/07/obama-i-read-my-bad-press-not-good-press/

[scheming daemons]

1. Then he's surely reading a butt-load of GD:P lately....

...

[opihimoimoi]

2. Prolly gets a synop on a reg basis....from his Crew....

[Clio the Leo]

11. Waves at the PE!!!! NT

[babylonsister]

3. Yes, he knows, and that's why I've supported him for so long. We have

a winner. I hope we embrace him and not discount him. Let him go with his knowledge. What a difference compared to what we've been living with.

[EraOfResponsibility]

7. Indeed n/t

[firedupdem]

4. He's a smart guy. I'm glad he pays attention and doesn't want to

live in a bubble.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. I have to hand it to him. He really seems insistent that he not be....

swallowed up by the bubble. I hear he's still fighting with SS about the blackberry.

[tridim]

6. Someone pinch me.

[snowbear]

8. Okey Dokey Artichockie

.
.

[Aviation Pro]

9. Smart mofo.....

....he is the anti-Two Shoes who basically Gumped his way through his eight years.

[RC]

10. Ahh, excuse me. Who reads everything and decides what is good and bad and

by whose standards? What is good to me may be bad to you.

[ellacott]

12. I think it's pretty easy to distinguish between positive and critical press

If he read freeper or any number of conservative sites I doubt he would have trouble distinguishing the two.


If he does have a problem sorting it out then he is pretty stupid.

[RC]

15. That means he has to read both to distinguish between them.

[ellacott]

17. Barack Obama is a secret terrorist who wasn't born in this country

He had William Ayers write his first book. He's going to take away benefits for the white people and give them to blacks. He hates Jews.
***************
I don't think he has to read both to know that this is negative. If he does then we just elected a President that is more stupid than Bush

[rvablue]

14. *Shaking Head*...bizarre to take issue with this declaration given what

we've been through with the Shrub and his I'm never wrong credo the past 8 years.

Guess some can never be satisfied, even when they get what they want. :shrug:

[rvablue]

13. What a novel concept: A president with the ability to critically self-reflect? I like it! n/t

[ZombieHorde]

16. He should be reading both!

[Jennicut]

18. I like this man. I really do. I think he gets it.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. He's correct to read the bad

and avoid the good press. Nothing, repeat nothing, is more dangerous than reading or hearing too much positive press about yourself and your job performance. I am not joking in the least. This is one of the smartest things I have heard Obama say. I fully support that choice. Read the negatives, let the cheerleading fade into the background, and only listen to it is carefully controlled, almost medicinal doses. This is smart of anyone living in the public eye, in the arts, politics, anything. The praise is the poison.
I am glad to hear him say that. Nice to be able to say this: that is a choice that reflects wisdom.

[lonestarnot]

20. Too late to R! You go Mr. President!

:loveya:

[AtomTan]

21. This makes me like him even more, and, ironically, convinces me

how important it is for us to publicly criticize whatever bad decisions we think he has made.

That is, he seems to be encouraging criticism by the press. Which is a wonderful trait in a democratic leader and a fantastic breath of fresh air.